Thursday, 17 April 2014

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge spent the second day of their royal tour of Australia in the Blue Mountains.

The couple travelled in an Australian Military Helicopter.

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The Blue Mountains are famed for their natural beauty - a popular destination for Rock Climbers, Mountain Bikers and Hikers as well as canyoning and other adventure sports.

The couple received a warm welcome upon arrival.

Blue Mountains Australia Twitter Feed

Unfortunately the mountainous region is also known for the terrible bushfires the area has endured. In October 2013, fires in the Greater Blue Mountains Area had burnt over 65,000 hectares, much of the area lying within the Blue Mountains and Wollemi national parks. The 2013 New South Wales fires claimed two lives, and destroyed at least 248 dwellings and other buildings, with 193 properties destroyed and 109 damaged in the lower Blue Mountains area. The damage was devastating for those living in region. Following the fire Her Majesty The Queen sent her sympathies to those affected and praised the emergency services for their speedy response.

Wikipedia

William and Kate met privately with some of the families affected by last year's bushfires. Locals requested that no live cameras be on the ground given they are still healing from the fires. Their Royal Highnesses spent ten minutes with one family who discussed their experience.

Kate spoke with volunteers from the Rural Fire Service about their experiences as first responders to the fires.

Their Royal Highnesses enjoyed luncheon with the girl guides.

Victoria Murphy Twitter Feed

The (very cute) girl guides were delighted to meet Kate.

William and Kate posed for a photo with the girl guides. Instead of saying cheese they enthusiastically said "Princess".

William and Kate participated in a tree planting ceremony: a red eucalyptus to signify all the trees that burnt down in Blue Mountains.

Kate revealed how happy she was to finally be in Australia.

Robert Jobson Twitter Feed

The Cambridges stopped at Echo Point Lookout. Perched on the edge of the escarpment of Echo Point, it provides panoramic views of the southern Blue Mountains, Kanangra-Boyd wilderness and The Three Sisters rock formation.

The Three Sisters sandstone rock formation is one of the region's best-known tourist attractions.

Rebecca English Twitter Feed

The couple received a possum fur cloak for Prince George at Echo Point comprised of seven skins. He can add to it on special occasions.

Well wishers had the opportunity to see Their Royal Highnesses at the site. Details of the visit had been kept under wraps until yesterday with palace officials only offering vague details about the itinerary for the day, so those in the area were delighted to have the chance to meet the royal couple. The exact route the couple would take, however, was not disclosed. Most likely for security reasons.

'Police have stopped and searched two suspects who were "acting suspiciously" and "causing a disturbance" just metres from where the Duke and Duchess were travelling during their visit to Australia's Blue Mountains. Two men were detained, one of whom was wearing a vest made of mesh, with pro-Israel stickers attached.

A witness said they were searched completely and had to take all their clothes off. A NSW police spokeswoman said, "They were stopped and searched and moved on from the area".'

Certainly it was a very minor incident, but excellent to see such a diligent and thorough response from local law enforcement.

'The Blue Mountains is one of the most recognisable, not to mention magnificent locations on the planet. It is fitting that one of the most recognisable couples on the planet visit it.'

The Blue Mountains has been a favourite royal tour destination for almost a century. The Queen and The Duke of Ednbirgh visited the Blue Mountains and Lithgow in 1954; before that The Queen's parents, then The Duke and Duchess of York visited in March 1927, and also visited Echo Point. The Duchess (later the Queen Mother) was overheard to say, "Look at those clouds! Isn't it wonderful."

There were lovely moments throughout the visit including a quote from a little girl who met Kate: "She had a really lovely voice - like she was from another country." The Duchess also said George is "cute, but very, very loud. He might scare the animals at Taronga Zoo".

The wrap dress works very well and nobody does it better than Diane von Furstenberg - It is very much a staple piece - perfect for daytime engagements without compromising on style. Diane created the wrap dress in 1974 - forty years ago. By 1976 she had sold over a million of them. The concept behind them was to take women from the office to a night out using fabric that was clingy but not cumbersome, it celebrated a woman's silhouette. The dress embraces diversity like no other and is favoured by women aged 20 to 70 and sizes 0 to 20. Are many of you DVF customers? I always thought the designs were a perfect fit for the professional but stylish woman.

The Duchess has long been a fan of DVF and previously wore the gorgeous green silk DVF Maja dress during a trip to Los Angeles following the Canada tour in 2011. Kate has worn a number of the designers pieces over the years.

I really love the dress, but wonder why Kate doesn't go for straight dresses more. She certainly has the figure for them. Then she wouldn't have to worry about the wind so much! And I do think it's a shame she doesn't try more local designers. Australia has so many! Thanks for the great coverage and photos.

I think the flared dresses are oftentimes more flattering, as they balance out her figure more. Kate has such tiny hips that her shoulders sometimes look broader by comparison. That said, she can definitely pull off a straight dress much better than I can with my pear shape!

You can never go wrong with DVF! Her classic clothes are always in style. Loved the dress today, but what am I saying, I adore DVF, much to my husband's dismay :). So excited to see our Duchess wear my favorite designer. I know it is not much of a fashion "risk", but she just looks lovely. So nice also that they met with the families privately. I'm glad the press respected their wishes. I'm sure it meant so much to those that have been affected.

Big thumbs up for this look!! Love the dress so much I just ordered it online, hahaha. Kate looks wonderful and the wedges work perfectly with this dress as opposed to skinny jeans. So beautiful. My favorite look on the tour so far.

I would love to see Kate in a loose side ponytail officially. I think she would look amazing. That temporary pony (safety for the helicopter?) looked great from a distance.Nice dress. I am not a big fan of DVF but this one works for me.So glad they did this visit. I remember how pleased and grateful the people in Slave Lake, Alberta where when K&W visited them. it is a very kind thing to do and it draws attention to the fact that even though it isn't in the news anymore, they still are recovering.

How wouldn't it be appropriate? There are tons of variations to the side ways pony tail and braid that can be done that look very elegant and professional..Kate isn't a celebrity but I think if a celeb can wear a side ways braid on the red carpet with a couture dress then Kate can surely wear it to an official engagement wearing an off the rack dress and look just as nice.

I love thee print, DVF dresses are really pretty. When I saw it is a wrap dress I thought it will be useful for the next pregnancy:-) Going down a bit, I do not know which shoes would have been the best for the mountain visit? But wedges were the last on my list.Blue27

I went to bed last night praying that Kate wouldn't bring out the skinnies for this engagement.What a relief!

Love the dress as I am a fan of wrap dresses and I think they suit Kate's shape and despite my really not liking the wedges, they actually looked quite nicely teamed with the dress too.

Wasn't sure if any bushwalks were on the itinerary as she wouldn't even be allowed to venture out in a skirt.Any walk in Australia requires gaiters, so I'm assuming a lot of the engagement is more to do with meeting the public.

Thank you for pointing out the Girl Guides Charlotte. What a great way to have a lunch in the Aussie bush. Sandwiches provided by the Girl Guides. I imagine some girls are going to be very happy to share some stories with Kate. And somehow, I think Kate will have a lot to chat to them about too.

Finally William is looking a bit more himself with his outfit. Casual jeans, crisp white shirt and blue (good shade this time) blazer - perhaps linen?

I hope the locals feel like they have been heard after meeting the couple. Bushfires truly are so incredibly devastating here. So much is lost, so many memories turned to ashes. Unfortunately it is a common problem annually.

The DVF is beautiful and Kate looks very stylish and feminine. Her navy wedges don't bother me. I imagine she would rather find a pair of shoes that are comfortable and that she knows will fit, rather than risk trying a new style/designer on a tour. I am also prone to tripping over air and I bet Kate is much less clumsy!

Here's a link to the shoes the model is wearing. Not sure Kate would wear them, but they're pretty cool.http://www.dvf.com/tinsley-leather-wedge/V1022201NTVAC.html?dwvar_V1022201NTVAC_color=NT&dwvar_V1022201NTVAC_size-shoes=060M

Kate looks gorgeous Charlotte! Does she have a new hairdresser on this tour? What is the hairdresser's name?Dian Von Furstenburg is one of my all time favourite classic designers. Her wrap dresses accentuate any woman's figure but they look especially beautiful on Kate. I love the simple pattern of this dress.

DVF is my favorite designer (for me) This was a different situation from the rural wine-tasting. She dressed up because she was honoring some people who have been through a horrible experience. The sad thing is, a number of those bush fires are the fault of humans, not nature- some accidental, but also some set on.purpose. The. RFS does an excellent job and maintain a website that lists all the fires, their status, and areas at risk. It is terrifying to know you or your family is in.the path of sometimes a wall.of fire. Believe it or not, some refuse to leave, electing to stay to protect their property and sometimes the outcome is not good.

They look so good together. I bet Camilla has her head down a big gimlet with all of the positive press and beautiful pictures in the London papers. Charles and Camilla can;t compete with this beautiful family!

Why should they compete? A competition among the different generations of a family is quite inappropriate. All of them are doing a fine job, according to their personalities and style. What I've heard about Charles' and Camillas characters, they are more prone to be happy about "the children's" success. ;-)

I don't believe that Charles care if William & Catherine have success. That would mean they would be in the spot light which they are because first off they are a beautiful couple & William loves his wife. Second Catherine was a breath if fresh air to the royal family. All this takes away from him &Camilla. Charles want Camillia to shine but she will never, she was the third person in Dianas & Charles marriage.

Milo, w/all due respect, Charles and Camilla don't NEED to compete. Charles is, by all reports and for all intents and purposes, running the royal family now and in charge of the finances. He's got a personal fortune in the multimillions and he and Camilla will sit on the throne before William and Kate do. By all reports also, Charles very much adores Kate and he seems to have a good relationship, though not very demonstrative, with both of his sons. I think Charles wanted Camilla to be accepted first by his mother, the queen, and she has, with the blessing after they married, and by the public and she has. If you watch footage of her public engagements, she's actually very warm and friendly, very down to earth and chatty with people. She doesn't ever exhibit the disdain/dislike of common people that William and Harry have been known to show in public.

I love the way Kate's hair is styled today with a slight turn up at the ends. My hair is similiar (length and natural curl) and it struck me right away that she might have had another trim. Looking back a few days, her normal sausage curls would take her hair up a couple of inches yet today it is more straight yet the same length? Just curious to see what you think Charlotte.Thanks for the great posts!

What wonderful scenery ! Australia seems so beautiful. I love the dress, but not so much those wedges with them. Another color or style of wedges would have been a nice change. But just loved her ponytail, of course.Wonderful coverage of the tour, Charlotte, thank u :-)))

What a lovely, lovely look. Perhaps even my favorite so far. I actually love the wedges with it.I agree with you Charlotte, that side ponytail suits Kate very well. I'd love to see her wear a (side) pleat sometime like an elegant fishtail braid or something, though I don't reckon she'll go for that sort of style hair unless she is somewhere really informal. Oh well, wishful thinking :)

I don´t particularly like the style of the print (these "frizzled out" edges, like it was a leo´s print, but then again, it was not, so that somehow irritates me every time I look at it), but I loved the "blue for "Blue Mountains"!! If that was the reason why this dress is blue, it´s really thoughtful and shows how much consideration goes into each outfit... Wedges, though, for a visit to the mountains and for this dress... No, I definitely would not have chosen this combination. The dress with "normal" high heels for a "walking the crowds" in a town - definitely a "go for it" choice for me... But then, I´m not the Duchess who seems to be able to work any kind of terrain in high heels! And obviously this visit had more of an official character, not so much "sightseeing" the beautiful scenery... What is amazing me continously, is her "aura" during this visit. She seems so totally happy and in peace with her life and herself, it´s really amazing!

I must say I agree with some of the comments here, the scenery is truly beautiful at Blue Mountain! It's a pity so many bush fires occur there though. I loved Kate's look, I love DVF and was happy to see the Duchess wearing one of the dresses. I think she paired it well with those wedges ( Which I know a lot of people don't like, but I absolutely love them) and her jewelry. I am always amused to hear Kate's comments on her son, very interesting! I loved the side ponytail as well, I wish she could have worn it through the entire engagement =)

Love the dress and her hair has been particularly beautiful, whether up or down.In my opinion these wedges look good with this dress---don't think they are as good with the jeans, but I suspect they must be comfortable---like the much reviled nude shoes from yesterday.They do a great deal of standing and squatting down to talk to children--can't imagine doing that if feet are hurting, I am quite happy to see her smiling and comfortable--rather than longing to get the shoes off.

Well, I must start off with William....he looks SO sharp! I love when men pair a blazer with jeans. Very classy! I also think Kate looks AMAZING! I love the dress! I am a fan of DVF and like her classic, sophisticated style. As I said, Kate looks fabulous! William and Kate are such a beautiful couple and the first picture of the post really shows it. The two of them with the backdrop of the mountains....WOW! That one is definitely a framer!

I love seeing the faces of the precious girl guides. They are beaming and have smiles from ear to ear! What an amazing opportunity and one they will never forget getting to meet Will and Kate. I hope the families that have suffered loss felt encouraged by the visit today. Such a sad tragedy.

Charlotte, another WONDERFUL post! Sending you lots of hugs and lattes! :)

I saw some of the early pics before I went to bed last night and I loved the dress. My sister-in-law swears by DVF and has a closet full. She likes all the matte jersey versions, but I really dislike that fabric. I avoid shapewear as much as possible and I don't want my panty lines showing, or to see anyone else's for that matter. So, I love the Duchess's cotton DVF print!

I couldn't wait to get better pics this morning, but then I saw the shoes. I actually like those wedges (don't shoot me) and I like them on the Duchess in some outfits, but not this one. Someone else said it before and I agree that I would have preferred the tan SW Minx wedges. They looked so cute on the last tour. If she didn't want open toe, I would have liked the slingbacks better. Something about all that heel with this dress really throws the look off for me. We'll just ignore the feet.

A few people were talking about the Duchess needing some lip color with some of the looks in NZ and here I really think she needed it. Just a hint of the pinky, peachy color that she has worn so successfully before would have been great. It would have perked her up. She looks a little tired here. It could just be that she's looking a little washed out with the print.

Great tactful critique, Len! Ok. Here's the thing- I got a little verbose with the comments. Please overlook those that don't qualify as a reply to your post!!! I think she and William both look tired today. Maybe the little Prince was playing night owl. He may have been a bit over stimulated with the crowds and wombats and all. Or the trip may be taking its toll. Looking at individual physical activities doesn't tell the whole story. Giving of oneself and hearing so many sad stories also exacts an emotional toll that one would not experience on a usual "family holiday." That leads to exhaustion, too. Or, as they got off the helicopter, it looked as though they were getting serious news. Wonder if they were aware of the security threat. So,I agree. They looked tired initially, but seemed to take strength and encouragement from the Girl Guides , princesses and families. NZ and Aus must have had cutest kids ever contests to come up with all those precious little ones in those heart-breakingly cute outfits. If you want to know what possible use the Monarchy can be, especially this pair, just look in those faces. Even the politicians and their wives looked inspired and joyful. Celebreties entertain. Few inspire, at least not in a good way. (apparently, some republican editors and columnists try to put the royals down by calling them "celebrities")Also, a.little pinky-peachy lip gloss wouldn't hurt. Maybe she wears it off? William does look happy.

A print?! Such a nice change after all the solid (or close to solid with the yellow color-blocked dress) pieces we've seen!

Charlotte, I assume Kate's comments about George scaring the animals at the zoo is a confirmation that he'll be at the zoo engagement? I know we'd expected him to be there, but I hadn't seen official confirmation.

Kate is lovely, but a shorter wrap dress for an outside event on a windy day was not appropriate. In addition, bending down to meet kids and bending over shoveling (photos above), creates the risk of too much exposure with that dress. Not a very thoughtful choice for an official day of work.

Every day is windy since the beginning of the tour, and Kate has to bend down toward kids every day... but she can't wear the same dress every day. This dress seems quite heavy, and finally there wasn't any problem with the wind. And Kate doesn't bend down, she crouches down. So all that remains is: she is lovely :)

I love the DVF wrap.....it is perfect for Duchess Kate! I have several wraps from the seventies that were my mothers, I've worn them for years.....just love the fabric and the feel of the cling on my body.

Gorgeous look on Catherine, and William looks relaxed and casual. I feel a bit disappointed for them though. I wonder why they didn't get a chance to bush walk and go abseiling. They seem like quite an adventurous couple, and being in the Blue Mountains... Missed opportunity just watching! Oh well, maybe just me...

Love the dress. Is it true that it is sold out? I want that dress darn it. I think it is wonderful that Kate buys off the rack. It shows that she is a practical girl. I don't think she should spend thousands of dollars on an outfit that she will not wear that often. I think the only time she should wear bespoke pieces is for state occasions such as state dinners and receptions at Buckingham Palace.

This is the first time I have ever actively disliked something the Duchess wore, though a distant second would be the loud print she wore for an evening reception on her southeast Asia tour. I wonder what the Duke's description of this blue and white dress is! (He looked very nice.) The blue and white colors are very appropriate, but the print knocks my eyes out.

I am not very fond of Diane von Furstenberg's designs. The green dress in Canada looked a bit limp. Her wrap dresses, including this one, often hang unevenly at the hem. They are comfortable looking, however, and the design of this one looks less like a robe than some of the others.

The view behind the Duke and Duchess reminds me of the Grand Canyon, Obviously Australia has some rugged countryside. Very beautiful. And the Girl Guides were sweet.

I have really appreciated the alterations in her hemline on all her skirts/dresses. I think it looks so much more polished and professional. Anyone else agree that some of Kate's past skirts have been way too short - including a few maternity outfits - or am I old fashioned?

No, you're not nessecarily old fashioned Linda. It's just down to personal preference, plus, so called midi skirts have been making a comeback in fashion lately :)For me, I personally like it when she shows a bit of leg, and with that I mean hemlines hitting at or maybe an inch or half an inch above the knee.

I think it also matters what type of dress it is. For example the yellow dress she wore on the first day in Australia had a hemline that was a bit on the longer side but it was a more form-fitting dress overall so the longer hemline didn't look matronly or dowdy at all (I thought).

It looks more professional and just more classy and classic, the longer hemlines. I think we've become too accustomed to the trashy thigh-high hemlines over the years from celebrities in the US and the UK (and worldwide - Australia's Kylie Minogue had some embarrassingly short hemlines). Personally, I think a knee-length hemline is MUCH more classy and sexy, it leaves SOMETHING to the imagination!! I also never understood why Kate, who has access to the best tailors and designers on the planet, went with such short hemlines during her pregnancy, especially as she moved on in the pregnancy. A couple of times (there was that peach number that is especially memorable - she bent down to accept flowers or something and the secret nearly was out!!) the skirts were embarrassingly short.

I like wrap dresses on HRH. The gray Max Mara is one of my favs. I find the pattern on this DVF to be just a bit too big. I think it overwhelms Kate somewhat. Still, it will help her stand out in the crowds when people are anxious to see her.

I loved the side ponytail. I wish she would try a more formalized version someday soon.

I agree with Linda. I love the slightly longer lengths of Kate's skirts- so much classier almost instantly!

I really can't decide about the wedge shoes. I know it's love/hate for many. I'm just in awe of the constant wearing of heels. My feet would never last!

It'll be interesting to see some more casual garb for rock climbing, etc. I remember Kate looked stunning in Borneo (I think?) when she went rapelling. It was one of my favourite looks.

A wonderful Passover (I know I'm a bit late) and Easter to all ! May The Bunny find you-especially you, Gorgeous George a.k.a. Cheeks! Blessings to you, Charlotte!

I never could understand why Kate's dresses got shorter, the further along in her pregnancy. Glad to see she has corrected that. It looks so much more chic. There are pictures in other papers of her and William at the top of a ridge, watching repellers go down, Kate standing in those high wedges, and her security harnessed up, and William looking over the edge. That was some seriously rocky ground. I loved the dress, thought it was pretty with the backdrop of the mountains. Don't know how practical the shoes were though..she has some serious high heel wearing skills

I have been critical of Kate in the past with too short skirts and while this is shorter than she has worn in the past I find it a good length and suited for the engagement. The wedgies remind me of those people who cling to a style when they are 21 for the rest of their lives. I hope she can move on to other flat bottom shoes. I am wondering where the usual posters are bluhare royal fan Pauline and Jean from Lancaster. Hope is all well with each of you. Happy Easter all

She looks fantastic! This is probably one of my favorite tour looks yet. I never thought her dresses were too short and actually thought that some of the more recent looks were too long. This dress nails it with the length. The wedges are also great. Score for Kate!

i love william and kate but that picture of them together looks like a photo a family member forces you to take because "the families believe the two of you look great together. or is it just my family?

I like a wrap dress although I have a tough time wearing them unless they're what's called a "faux-wrap" or sewn-together wrap dress. Kate is flat as a board so they work much better on girls with no shape to speak of. I like this look on Kate but I think the print kind of overwhelms her, especially with the bright white. It's like it's just all DRESS and very little Kate. I love the wedges and this was a great look for her. I wish she'd kept the hair in a ponytail, it just looked hot with the summery dress and wedges then all that hair just hanging there. Wish William would lose the sports jacket and just go with the dress shirt, with sleeves rolled up, and casual pants. He did that on his first official tour of Australia shortly before he was married and it seemed to make him more casual and relaxed. I know Kate needs something to do with her hands but the clutch seems really unnecessary, especially when she's planting trees and shaking hands and such and when there are a dozen or more flunkies carrying lipstick, tissue, mobile phone, etc.

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